orous
drawl that matched well the quirk of his lips when he talked. He was
headed for home--which was the Flying U--sober and sunny and with enough
money to see him through. He told Florence Hallman his name, and said
that he lived "up the road a ways" without being too definite. Florence
Hallman lived in Minneapolis, she said; though she traveled most of the
time, in the interests of her firm.

Yes, she liked the real estate business. One had a chance to see the
world, and keep in touch with people and things. She liked the West
especially well. Since her firm had taken up the homeseekers' line she
spent most of her time in the West.

They had supper--she called it dinner, Andy observed--together, and Andy
Green paid the check, which was not so small. It was after that, when
they became more confidential, that Florence Hallman, with the egotism
of the successful person who believes herself or himself to be of keen
interest to the listener spoke in greater detail of her present mission.

Her firm's policy was, she said, to locate a large tract of government
land somewhere, and then organize a homeseekers' colony, and settle
the land-hungry upon the tract--at so much per hunger. She thought it
a great scheme for both sides of the transaction. The men who wanted
claims got them. The firm got the fee for showing them the land--and
certain other perquisites at which she merely hinted.

She thought that Andy himself would be a success at the business. She
was quick to form her opinions of people whom she met, and she knew that
Andy was just the man for such work. Andy, listening with his candid,
gray eyes straying often to her face and dwelling there, modestly failed
to agree with her. He did not know the first thing about the real estate
business, he confessed, nor very much about ranching. Oh, yes--he lived
in this country, and he knew THAT pretty well, but--

"The point is right here," said Florence Grace Hallman, laying her pink
fingertips upon his arm and glancing behind her to make sure that they
were practically alone--their immediate neighbors being still in the
diner. "I'm speaking merely upon impulse--which isn't a wise thing to
do, ordinarily. But--well, your eyes vouch for you, Mr. Green, and we
women are bound to act impulsively sometimes--or we wouldn't be women,
would we?" She laughed--rather, she gave a little, infectious giggle,
and took away her fingers, to the regret of Andy who liked the feel of
them